Nek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nek
Nek in concerto a Assago
Background information
Birth name	Filippo Neviani
Born	(1972-01-06) 6 January 1972 (age 53) Sassuolo, Modena, Italy
Genres	Pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician
Instruments	Vocals guitar bass drums
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Fonit Cetra Don't Worry Warner Music Group

Filippo Neviani (born January 6, 1972), better known by his stage name Nek, is a famous Italian singer, songwriter, and musician. He is very popular in his home country of Italy and in many Spanish-speaking countries. Nek has released most of his albums in both Italian and Spanish.

Nek became famous around the world in 1997. He performed his song "Laura non c'è" (in Spanish: "Laura no está") at the Sanremo Music Festival. Even though he didn't win, the song became a huge hit across Europe and Latin America. This success helped his fourth album, Lei, gli amici e tutto il resto, sell over a million copies.

Over his long career, Nek has released more than a dozen studio albums and many hit singles. He has sold over 10 million records worldwide.

Biography

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Filippo Neviani was born in Sassuolo, a town in Italy. He started playing drums, bass, and guitar when he was only nine years old. He was inspired by musicians like John Denver and Sting.

In the late 1980s, he played in small clubs with bands called "Winchester" and "White Lady." In 1991, he decided to become a solo artist. He competed in the Castrocaro Music Festival, a big event for new artists, and won second place. This was the start of his solo career.

Rise to Fame

In 1992, he adopted the stage name Nek and released his first album, also called Nek. The next year, he participated in the famous Sanremo Music Festival. He sang "In te," a song about a serious social issue, and finished third in the Newcomers section.

After signing a contract with Warner Music Group, he released his fourth album, Lei, gli amici e tutto il resto, in 1996. The album did well, but his big break came in 1997. He returned to the Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Laura non c'è". The song became a massive hit.

The success of "Laura non c'è" made his album fly off the shelves. It sold over 600,000 copies in Italy alone. The song and album were also very popular in Spain, France, Switzerland, Belgium, and many countries in Latin America. The Spanish version of the song, "Laura no está," became a number-one hit in places like Argentina. This album earned him an award for selling over a million copies in Europe.

His fifth album, In due, came out in 1998. The single "Se io non-avessi te" was another big hit, and the album sold millions of copies. He then toured across Italy, Europe, and Latin America, performing for large crowds.

Continued Success in the 2000s

Nek performing at the Mediolanum Forum in Assago, 2005.

Nek continued to release popular albums throughout the 2000s. His album La vita è (2000) and Le cose da difendere (2002) were both successful in Europe.

In 2003, he released his first greatest hits collection, The Best of Nek: L'anno zero. It celebrated his first 10 years in music and included two new songs. The album was a top seller in Italy for many weeks.

His 2005 album, Una parte di me, featured the hit single "Lascia che io sia...". With this song, Nek won the popular Festivalbar music competition. The song was one of the best-selling singles in Italy that year.

In 2006, Nek released his ninth album, Nella stanza 26. The single "Instabile" became another top-five hit in Italy. For his songwriting on this album, Nek received the prestigious Lunezia "Poetry of Rock" award.

A New Direction and Career Milestones

Nek performing in Valladolid, Spain, in 2009.

In 2008, Nek recorded the song "Walking Away" as a duet with British artist Craig David.

His tenth album, Un'altra direzione (2009), was his first to reach number one on the album charts in Italy. In 2010, he released Greatest Hits 1992–2010: E da qui to celebrate 20 years of his career. It included his biggest hits and three new songs.

In 2011, Nek recorded a duet with the singer L'Aura. They sang "Eclissi del cuore," an Italian version of the famous song "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler. The song was a huge success.

Recent Work and Achievements

Nek released his eleventh album in 2013, titled Filippo Neviani, using his real name. On this album, he played all the instruments himself. It reached number two on the music charts.

In 2015, Nek returned to the Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Fatti avanti amore." He finished in second place but won several other awards, including "Best Cover" for his performance of the song "Se telefonando". His album Prima di parlare was released the same year and was very successful.

In 2016, Nek was a coach on the TV talent show Amici di Maria De Filippi. He also released his thirteenth album, Unici. In 2017, he performed a major concert at the famous Verona Arena. He continued to release new music with the two-part album Il mio gioco preferito in 2019 and 2020.

In 2024, Nek competed in the Sanremo Music Festival again, this time with fellow singer Francesco Renga.

Personal life

Nek married Patrizia Vacondio on September 2, 2006. They have a daughter named Beatrice Maria, who was born on September 12, 2010. He is a practicing Catholic.

Discography

• Nek (1992)
• In te (1993)
• Calore umano (1994)
• Lei, gli amici e tutto il resto (1996)
• In due (1998)
• La vita è (2000)
• Le cose da difendere (2002)
• Una parte di me (2005)
• Nella stanza 26 (2006)
• Un'altra direzione (2009)
• Filippo Neviani (2013)
• Prima di parlare (2015)
• Unici (2016)
• Il mio gioco preferito - prima Parte (2019)
• Il mio gioco preferito - seconda parte (2020)

See also

In Spanish: Nek para niños